The invention concerns an industrial shaft having a longitudinal frame structure and supply lines for pressure, current, or the like, running along the frame structure; as it can be used in particular for wrapping equipment.
State of the art industrial shafts are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The embodiment illustrated here is a bagger shaft. The bagger shaft 10 consists of a longitudinal frame structure made of metal sheets welded together and supply lines 12 running along the frame structure, which in this embodiment serve to convey hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic fluid is needed to drive bagger tools directly or indirectly connected to the bagger shaft. The supply lines 12 are guided according to the state of the art along the outside of the frame structure, as illustrated in FIG. 2. In FIG. 1 the supply lines 12 are exploded individually. The broken lines of course indicate how the supply lines are attached to the frame structure. The carrier trestles 14 welded to the outside of the frame structure are shown individually in FIG. 1, with the supply lines 12 attached to the carrier trestles 14 by means of clamps 16. The front ends of the supply lines 12, that is, the ends facing the tool, are attached via adapters 18 on the frame structure of the industrial shaft 10 to a perpendicular metal sheet 20.
Because the supply lines are attached on the outside of the industrial shaft, they are exposed to the danger of damage. Their mounting is comparatively expensive, and because of the hose clamps that must be provided as connectors, the number and size of the supply lines is fixed and cannot be changed.
The object of the invention is to perfect an industrial shaft of the aforementioned type in such manner that the supply lines are guided along the longitudinal shaft in a simple manner.
Starting with a generic industrial shaft, the object is performed by way of the typical characteristics of the frame structure having a box-shaped cross-section and the supply lines running within the box-shaped cross section; according to which the frame structure of the industrial shaft has a box-shaped cross-section and the supply lines are positioned inside the box-like structure.
This solution ensures a high degree of rigidity for the industrial shaft because of its box-shaped cross section. The supply lines running inside the box-like frame structure are protected from damage in a particularly advantageous manner. Also, fewer attachment devices are needed for the supply lines than is customary in the state of the art. Because the attachment devices do not have to be welded to the outside of the shaft, the grooves caused by the attachment devices are eliminated. The solution according to the invention also makes it possible to add additional supply lines without further problems, since no clamps with a predetermined number of hoses or hose sizes have to be used.
Not only are the connection lines protected from mechanical damage, but temperature fluctuations in the housing, such as freezing or heat, are diminished, and changes in materials because of the influence of ultraviolet rays are prevented.
The clamps for attaching supply lines can no longer become loose during operation, since attachment devices such as clamps in the center area along the industrial shaft are eliminated, and loosening effects previously caused by heat expansion and deformation of the housing, and loss of tension in the attachment devices, are eliminated.
Mounting the line becomes much easier because of the elimination of the clamps.
Advantages of the invention are produced as described herein.
Accordingly, within the frame structure with box-shaped cross-section a holder extending at least partly along the length of the frame is created to hold the supply line. The frame structure and the holder can be constructed as weldments. Advantageously, the frame structure has a rectangular cross-section.